The Fellowship of Three
by Quicksilver19
Summary: Legolas meets Aragorn for the first time... but the Ranger is not alone...
1. Meeting the Prince

The Fellowship of Three

Note: Okay, if you're a hardcore Tolkien fan, you might as well turn back now because this is different than what happens… ie. The fact that Legolas never had a wife or whatever… Just warning you J 

            Legolas treaded softly through the forest. He and the rest of the elven hunting party were tracking down wysterins, big shaggy spider-like demons who'd wandered into their territory and settled. He knew he was near to the nesting grounds because he could smell their stench. It got stronger and he stopped. His senses told him that the nests were just ahead and he didn't want to stumble on a group of hungry baby wysterins.  

            A scout dropped down quietly beside him. "My lord, they've been spotted towards the east." 

"Thank you, Myrith," replied Legolas, peering through the leaves at the empty nests. "Where are they?" 

"I don't-" The other man's words were cut off as he was yanked off his feet from behind. He screamed as the wysterins dragged him back further into the underbrush. 

"Myrith!" Legolas yelled, racing after them. He let out a piercing whistle to call the others to him. 

When he burst into the next clearing, the wysterins were already at the other side. There was no way he could get to Myrith in time. 

Two people burst from the trees in front of the wysterins, one human, the other, elven. The man slashed at the wysterin who was holding onto Myrith as the elf ran at the other wysterins. They roared at losing their meal and charged at the elf. The elf turned and he realized it was a she. Her blond hair whipped around her face as she lined up a shot at the first wysterin. The arrow flew and stuck fast into its forehead, felling it. The man killed the wysterin and dropped to his knees beside Myrith to check his wounds. 

Legolas snapped out of his daze and sprinted forward. He shot five arrows before even getting to Myrith. The man gave him a quick nod then went after the rest of the wysterins. 

As he pressed his hands to Myrith's wounds to quicken the healing process, Legolas watched the human and the elf methodically and coolly take out the rest of the wysterins. The girl wiped her blades on the grass, sheathed them in the sheaths on her back and started back towards them. The man also cleaned his sword and sheathed it before returning. 

She came up to Legolas and touched him lightly on the arm. "I am a healer." 

He stepped back in amazement when the girl dropped down beside Myrith. Out of her tunic, she produced many vials of different colours. "Aragorn, bring me witch hazel and learwood." 

When the rest of the hunting party found them, it was dark. Aragorn had built a fire and Myrith was wrapped in his cloak, sleeping like a child and well on his way to healing. Legolas had gone off searching for wood. Aragorn greeted them then retreated to the shadows with the elf girl. "Loralei, we cannot stay here. We must leave this party and move west. Gandalf will be coming soon and I want to be in Rivendell when he arrives." 

"I wish to come with you." 

They both turned and saw Legolas standing in front of them with an armload of firewood. He looked stubborn as he dumped it by the fire. "I can make it…" 

"There's no question of that, elf," the girl replied, going back to stir the contents of the pot over the fire. 

It smelled wonderful but he mentally shook himself. _Stay on the task…_ "Then what is it?" 

"We travel alone," Aragorn broke in. He stood up from the fire and went to tend to the horses. "Loralei, we leave in an hour." 

She gave Legolas a sad look and moved towards Aragorn. She touched his arm gently as he yanked the straps. "Aragorn," she said softly. "Calm. He isn't the problem."

"It doesn't matter."

She leaned against him. "I remember when you rescued me from the wolfhounds. I was fifteen of your years and I was stuck in the bog. They came from all directions and you just flew in. I thought I was going to marry you. I thought I was in love with you. But not anymore…you are in love with the one they call Arwen. You will marry her and leave me. We've been roving together for two years. I know you only took me in because I was injured and dying. And I know that you hate Elves. But this one is different. He is kinder and more lenient. He does not hate man as you hate the elves. Do not judge him before you know him." 

He turned and stared at her. "Sometimes I wish I had never met Arwen…"

She smiled gently. "You wish to be a Ranger all your life? I think not. You love her. Do not regret that." 

Loralei smiled as she lit the fire while she watched Legolas and Aragorn chat amiably. They were getting along wonderfully. She pulled bark off a branch and started shredding it into kindling. They'd been on the road for a fortnight and they were still talking. Aragorn looked up at her and smiled. She nodded and started to prepare food. The men were still talking as they cut the wood into smaller pieces and stacking them. 

As Aragorn passed by Loralei, he brought his hand up to her cheek for a second. He held it there then let go. 

"What?" she asked, mystified. 

"Thank you…" he whispered. "You have helped me see the good once again. You are so pure. How do you do it?"

She leaned up and whispered into his ear. "Magic." She smiled and patted him lightly on the cheek. "I'll be back. I'm going to bathe. It is the night of the full moon, you know…"

"Elvish mumbo-jumbo…I was waiting for you to tell me. Go on." He took the spoon out of her hand and pushed her towards the woods. "I found a spring a few kilometres east of here you might like. Watch yourself though. Who knows what's out there? Take your knives."

She sheathed both knives to keep him happy and moved off into the woods. No one dared attack an elf maiden during the cleansing process. She found the spring bubbling quietly and skimmed out of her clothing before slipping in. The water was warm and wrapped around her like a blanket as she started the water dance. It was an old dance done partly underwater, partly half-out. Her arms and legs moved gracefully in the movements so long practiced. 

Someone was clapping. 

Her first thought was one of her travelling companions but both knew the ritual and didn't dare interrupt. Her eyes snapped open and she saw a man. He was tall with straggly long blond hair and piercing green eyes. She ducked down so that only her shoulders and head were visible. 

He chuckled. "Caught you." Moving toward her things, he picked up the knives. "These are nice, elf. Why don't you come out and join me? I think we would have fun, you know."

She tried to stay calm as she thought of a plan. Aragorn was too far away and her thoughts were too muddled to try and figure out where Legolas was so it was up to her to save herself. "What do you wish, sir?" 

"I ain't no knight, elf. Just come out and I won't hurt you. Much. The way I see it, you ain't got no choice." He lined up one of the knives at her. "Come out or I'll shoot." 

She thought of trying an Elvish incantation but decided against it because he might grow angry and kill her. 

"I don't got all night, elf." He threw the knife and she dove to get out of the way. She'd judged wrong or hadn't moved fast enough. Either way, the knife glanced off her shoulder and blood gushed from the cut. 

She clamped a hand onto the wound, willing it to heal quickly. 

"You want more elf?" he cackled. 

"Her name is Loralei, human, and I suggest you drop the knives and move away before I kill you." 

Both looked up and Loralei saw Legolas, his bow strung with two arrows. 

The man growled and dove toward Loralei. The bow twanged and two arrows whistled through the air. They thudded sickeningly into his chest and he collapsed into the water. 

Loralei paled and turned away. 

"Lady, are you alright?" Legolas splashed through the water and pulled off his cloak to wrap around her, his eyes politely averted. 

She laughed quietly. "No one has ever called me that." Then she collapsed. 


	2. Attack on the Lady

Aragorn looked up as Legolas entered the camp, Loralei in his arms. The man was immediately on his feet. "What happened?" he asked in a menacing voice.  
  
Legolas actually took a step back at the hatred in Aragorn's voice but then stood his ground. "I heard someone talking near the spring and went to see. It was a man and her. He was threatening her and threw her own knife at her. It hit her in the shoulder but I killed him as he was going to leap at her. She will heal. She just needs rest."  
  
Aragorn swallowed hard as Legolas placed her still form on the ground, his cloak still wrapped around her. "I will go and get her things," he said gruffly. "And find out who this attacker was…"  
  
Legolas nodded but the other was already gone. He turned back to the fire and stoked it enough so he could boil water for bandages.  
  
She opened her eyes to the sound of Legolas and Aragorn arguing.  
  
"He was a respected Gondorian. There was no way he attacked her. Why did you attack him?"  
  
"Do you believe me lying?" seethed Legolas. This was the last straw. "I saw what I saw and I saw that beast attacking Loralei. You still do not trust me. Why?"  
  
"There's no way-"  
  
She sat up. "Stop fighting," she said weakly.  
  
They didn't hear her and continued arguing.  
  
"How do I know that you didn't attack her and then he came upon you and you turned and killed him before bringing her back here to show your innocence?" Aragorn seethed.  
  
"How dare you!" Legolas cried. "I would never attack a woman. Especially not while she is bathing in the moonlight. No elf is that stupid."  
  
"Stop it!" she yelled, her voice hoarse.  
  
Both turned to her.  
  
"Just stop it. It is done." She stood up and took her clothing. "I'm going to go change now. When I get back we will stay the night and then move on. We will go to Rivendell to meet Gandalf." With that said, she walked away into the trees.  
  
Aragorn glared at the elf, wondering why he even consented to bringing the Elven prince on this stupid journey. Legolas could have returned with his own people to Rivendell and Aragorn would not have had this problem. But, a small voice whispered in his head, if Legolas hadn't been there, Loralei would not be alive right now. His head told him that there was no way that that Legolas had been the one attacking Loralei but his heart told him the opposite. He glanced up at the elf sitting relaxed but wary on the other side against a tree. Still a boy yet he'd seen so much. He suddenly wished times were not like this. That they were just a company of friends travelling.  
  
When she came back, Loralei returned Legolas' cloak to him with thanks and went over to Aragorn. Both were sitting moodily at opposite ends of the encampment. "What was that about?"  
  
He stared sulkily into the flames. "The man Legolas has killed was a Lord from Gondor."  
  
"He did not look like a lord, though he was certainly a man." She reached into her pack and pulled out roots and dried fruit. "Did you eat?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
She dumped half the food into his lap. "You know he is right, Aragorn. You know…" Then she moved off towards the elf. He was staring off into the distance and she knew his mind was elsewhere. "Legolas?"  
  
He looked up at her. "Are you alright, milady?"  
  
She nodded and handed him the rest of the food. "Eat this." He shook his head but she wouldn't hear it. "No one has ever called me a lady before. I am no lady, prince. I am not even a ranger. I am below."  
  
He turned and gripped her hand quickly with his own. "You are not below. No one like you could ever be below… You are lady even though you do not think so. Your clothes are that of a ranger but you carry yourself like a lady and during battle, a warrior. Never underestimate yourself."  
  
She turned her face away in embarrassment. "You compliment well, Legolas. You will find a wife in no time. But I must disagree. I am an outcast. Never will I set foot in Rivendell as a lady. Now eat and rest. We will have a long journey tomorrow." She saw him glance over at Aragorn and added, "He doesn't really hate you. He just does not trust elves. He thinks that because we are immortal that we have secrets to keep from him."  
  
"He trusts you."  
  
She looked over at the Ranger, rolled up in his cloak, asleep. "He has been around me so long that sometimes he forgets I am of elven blood. We are both rangers, he and I. That is all he sees…now get some rest. We set off in the morning. Aragorn and I shall keep watch tonight." She moved away and disappeared into the woods.  
  
The next morning he awoke to find Aragorn and Loralei packed and ready to go. He shook his head quickly and got up. "Why did you not wake me?"  
  
"We were about to," Aragorn replied stiffly, mounting, and starting slowly off down the path.  
  
Loralei kicked out the remains of the fire and mounted her horse.  
  
He finished tying his pack on and pulled himself up onto his horse. "I still do not understand this loathing."  
  
"Legolas. Do not worry about it now. It means nothing." She nudged her horse in the flanks and went after Aragorn, Legolas in tow.  
  
They travelled for the rest of the day, stopping a few times for breaks. Aragorn was pushing them hard though. He seemed to want to get to Rivendell as quickly as possible…  
  
Loralei would have rather take her time and enjoy the scenery but Aragorn would not hear of it.  
  
"We must get to Rivendell before the moon's cycle is over. The council will meet."  
  
She nodded tiredly.  
  
They stopped that night to rest the horses and get some sleep.  
  
"Three shifts," Aragorn said. "I will take the first." He stalked off into the night.  
  
Loralei unpacked her blanket and spread it near the fire. "He is very gruff and sometimes harsh but a very loyal friend. You don't have to worry. And tomorrow we shall reach the town of Bree. We are to stay in an Inn."  
  
Legolas spread out his own blanket and sat down. "This is all new territory to me. What is Bree?" 


End file.
